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Patient cooperation is recognized as an important factor in the outcome of orthodontic treatment. In order to predict patient cooperation, there have been numerous studies which have examined its correlates in orthodontic treatment. However, few, if any, of these studies have considered the reliability or stability of their patient cooperation measures. Hence, the correlates found or not found are suspect. The present article reports on the internal consistency and stability of the Orthodontic Patient Cooperation Scale (OPCS). Using the responses of practicing orthodontists, a list was generated of ten patient behaviors frequently considered in evaluating a patient's cooperation. Subjects were eighth- and ninth-grade students undergoing orthodontic treatment, who were rated by their own orthodontists after 2 months and 6 months of treatment. The internal consistency for the scale was estimated to be 0.71 (N = 44) at 2 months and 0.80 (N = 45) at 6 months. The correlation between scores at 2 months and at 6 months was 0.58 (N = 44), which may be considered to be a conservative estimate of the long-term stability of the scale. In summary, the OPCS has adequate internal consistency and reasonably stable scores over a 4-month period. As such, it should prove useful in studies looking for predictors of patient cooperation and in studies examining the relationship of patient cooperation and outcome of treatment.

Initial findings are reported from a longitudinal study investigating the effects of malocclusion on dental health and psychological well-being and the effectiveness of orthodontic treatment. Implicit in the orthodontic intervention decision process is the view that there are discernible social and psychological benefits of good occlusion. This view has not been adequately validated. The primary psychological question addressed by this study concerns the relationship between adolescents' orthodontic status and their psychological status and well-being. Empirical evidence allowed an examination of the major hypothesis that children with poor occlusion are likely to be socially and psychologically disadvantaged. Ratings of dental status and physical attractiveness, and measures of psychosocial well-being were obtained for sample of 1018, 11-12-year-old children and the associations between these variables were examined. The results provide little support for the major hypothesis that children 'suffer' psychologically from having poor dentition. Several points of caution are made with regard to this conclusion and some implications for dental policy making are considered.

Overall, these results support the view that dental-facial esthetics and self-perceptions of occlusal appearance, as well as attitudes toward malocclusion and orthodontic treatment, are important factors in the individual's decision to obtain orthodontic treatment. The data indicate that psychosocial variables not directly related to occlusal problems and treatment, do not add significantly to the description of differences between those who seek treatment and those who do not. While these analyses did not include a number of variables--such as socioeconomic factors or attitudes of significant others--which may also be important in predicting individual response to malocclusion, they do suggest strongly that psychosocial factors directly related to need for treatment are probably most productively assessed in terms of self-perceptions of occlusal appearance and attitudes regarding dental malrelations and their treatment.

A patient who undergoes orthodontic treatment or orthognathic surgery should be prepared psychologically for the difficulties involved. Information that would assist in communicating with potential patients was compiled from questionnaires distributed by orthodontic and oral surgery departments and by practitioners. Of the patients questioned 14 months after treatment, 93% were satisfied with the results.

This study was designed to discover the nature of concerns that adult patients have toward their orthodontic therapy. I had observed, after many years of treating this age group, that concerns brought to my office by prospective and active patients were similar. All patients, however, felt that their attitudes and feelings were unique. Initially, the investigation was carried out in the presence of a psychologist during evening meetings. This was then followed by giving questionnaires to thirty-five patients. The first questionnaire was distributed to patients who had decided to undergo therapy but had not yet started. The second was given to that same group of patients upon completion, or imminent completion, of their treatment. Thirty-three patients returned both questionnaires. The principal conclusion was that negative concerns and fears that the patients had about their course of treatment were soon dissipated. Perseverance toward the treatment goal was an overriding characteristic of every patient, and satisfaction with the end result was uniformly favorable. These patients would encourage all others to undergo treatment if it was required.

In an attempt to determine the impact of surgical orthodontics on patients' personality and perceptions of oral function, fifty-five patients were examined longitudinally. Patients completed five questionnaires during the course of treatment, from 1 month before to 9 months after surgery. Orthodontic appliances were still being worn by 56.1 percent at the 9-month assessment. Satisfaction with surgery, self-esteem, and body image were high throughout the postsurgical stage but showed significant changes. Satisfaction peaked at 4 months but declined at 9 months postsurgery, as did self-esteem and facial body image. Most of this decline was attributable to patients being still under orthodontic treatment, but those with continuing problems of pain, paresthesia, and oral dysfunction were not more likely to report psychological dissatisfaction. Results are examined from the perspectives of integration of body image and patient expectations from orthognathic surgery.

The task of the present study has been to verify experimentally if prolonged motivation may produce better oral hygienic conditions in orthodontic patients. Applying oral hygienic index modified, gingival index and saliva lactobacilli's concentration count, the A.A. obtained encouraging data evaluating the motivated subjects situation versus control group.

The Orthodontic Attitude Survey was designed to assess children's and their parents' attitudes toward malocclusion and orthodontic treatment. Five consistent clusters of attitudes had discriminant validity, and were significantly related to plans for orthodontic treatment and to objective and subjective indicators of the child's occlusal status and appearance.

The Authors have checked the behavioural and psychological differences between co-operate e not co-operate patients emploing three psychodiagnostic tests in diagnostic phase. While in order to appraise the standard of patient's compliance during the terapeutical phase, the Authors have planed a variable of co-operation list.

Psychical factors are often contributory determinants of success or failure of treatment. The orthodontist should therefore dispose of basic psychological knowledge to give his patients help in an entire sense. The psychosocial impact of malocclosion should represent a major factor in the decision to obtain treatment, because what is most important in terms of psychosocial response to malocclusion is not the absolute degree of disfigurement that results from malocclusion, but rather how the individual perceives and evaluates the esthetic effects of these dentofacial problems and their orthodontic correction.

A survey of the attitudes of patients and parents to active orthodontic treatment was undertaken at two centres. Questionnaires were distributed which enquired about pre-treatment appearance, reactions to the proposed treatment, experiences during treatment, perceived benefits of treatment, and values placed upon treatment. The results indicated that both patients and parents were satisfied with the treatment received, and pain from the appliance and its appearance were the main discouraging features.

Studies using plaster models of teeth and photographs simulating the full range of occlusal conditions have found high agreement between measures of adolescent social acceptability of these conditions and perceived need for orthodontic treatment. This study examined the association between adolescents' acceptability of their own occlusal condition, severity of malocclusion, and likelihood of undergoing orthodontic treatment. The factors predicting the acceptability of occlusal condition of 13-yr-olds, as assessed by the SASOC scale, were measurements of acceptability of general physical appearance, and the severity of occlusal condition. Variability in SASOC scores appeared to be independent of gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Gender, and severity of occlusal condition were important differences between subjects who had received, planned, or were undergoing orthodontic treatment, and those who had not. Neither SASOC scores nor perceived need for treatment accounted for a significant proportion of the variance between these groups. Although adolescents seeking orthodontic treatment had a greater severity of malocclusion than those not, little difference was observed between these groups in acceptance of occlusal condition.